Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 746,819. PATENTED DEC. 15, 1903..

N. GO0DYEAR. A AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24. 1901. F0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-S3331 1.

n4: uoflms PETERS ca. PNOTGLITHQ. WASHINGYDN D. c.

PATENTEDDEG. 15, 1903. N. GOODYEAR. AGETYLENB GAS GENERATOR.

V APPLIUATIOR' FILED JUNE 24, 190

HO MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IN VENTOH No. 746,819. r

' UNITED STATE Patented December 15, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

NELSON GOODYEAR, OF FLUSHING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO J. B. COLT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 746,819, dated December 1 5, 1903.

Application filed June 24, 1901.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NELSON GOODYEAR, residing at and whose post-office address is Flushing, Long Island, in the State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Generators, (Case D,) of which the following is a specification illustrated by drawings.

The object of the invention is to improve and simplify gas-generators for generating acetylene gas and analogous uses.

The precise nature of the improvements will be best understood from the following specification and pointed out in the claims.

The improvements relate more particularly to the generation and regulation of pressure of the gas, to carbid-feeding mechanisms, to

circulating devices for causing the automatic circulation of the water or other liquid in the generating-chamber, to the overflow-passage for letting 01f surplus water, flush-out device for discharging the water, and to means for compensating for the decreasing weight of the carbid.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical central section showing the preferred embodiment of the invention, some of the parts being shown in full. Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, on the plane 2 2 of Fig. 1, omitting the small tank 53, which would hide pipe 55. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the central plane at right angles to that of Fig. 1, showingsome parts in full. Fig. 4 isa plan section on the plane 4 4 of Figs. 1 and 3.

The carbid-hopper 10 is mounted upon a rising and falling bell 11, which is preferably water-sealed in the annular sealing-channel 13 in the water-holding vessel 14. The charging-cover at the top of the hopper is not the subject of this application. It may be secured by such a screw acting through a bail or yoke securedto the hopper, as is shown in the figures,or in any other way. The fall of the bell beyond a predetermined limit causes a feeding of the carbid by the carbid'feeding mechanism. This mechanism consists of a lever 20, secured to the rock-shaft 21, Fig. 2, which extends through a stuffing-box, as shown, and carries on its end the interior lever-arm 22, connected, as shown, to directly raise and lower the carbid-feeding valve or Serial lilo. 65,814. (No model.)

stop. The details of such valves or steps are well known and may be varied. The leverarms 20 and 22 extend in the same direction from the shaft 21,-producing an extremely simple and simply-acting mechanism. The valve illustrated consists of a simple round valve or stop that seats itself upon the conical seat formed by the hopper-wall. Upon the rod or support of the valve may be loosely mounted a sleeve or second valve, which also seats itself on the same conical surface and serves to cut oif the feed when so seated, leaving the inner valve to only cut off such finer particles as may leak by the outer valve. These details are not the subject of this application. Thelever-arm 20 engages in its downward movement an adj ustable stop 25, mounted upon arotary support 26. By turning the support 26 the pin or adjustable stop 25 is turned out of the path of motion of the lever 20 and the carbld-feeding mechanism thereby rendered inoperative. When,however,the

stop 25 is in its operative position, the leverarm 20 strikes it .as the carbid-hopper descends, and this causes the raising of the lever 22, and consequently the carbid-feeding valve, resulting in the feeding of carbid and the immediate generation of gas. The gas generated raises the bell 11 and stops the feeding of carbid. This compact arrangement of the valve and feeding mechanism produces a partial regulation of the gas-pressure and at the same time permits the apparatus to be made in a very compact form, covering little floor-space. The final regulation of gas is accomplished by a pressureregulator 30, applied to theservice-pipe 31,

as shown. A combined drain-trap and safety blow-off 32 and a gas-drier 33'may be mounted one above the other directly beneath the regulator 30, thereby economizing floor-space. The gas is discharged from the generator to the drier 33 through a pipe 35. To drain this pipe 35 and also the drier 33, passage 36 is 5 provided, extending down into the drain-trap 32 and water-sealed therein. The gas-pipe 35 extends sufliciently beneath the watel-level in the drain-trap 32 to be efiectively sealed by the water when the gas-pressure in the [O0 generator is removed, thereby preventing the back flow of gas from the service-pipe.

At 40 41 is shown a telescopic blow-off, the outer member of which, 41, is closed at the top and rises and falls with the gas-bell 11. When the bell rises above a predetermined limit, the seal of the telescopic member 41 is of course broken, and the gas escapes freely out from the member 41 and the pipe 40.

In order to produce a constant circulation of the water in the water-chamber during the generation of gas, a tubular member 45, havthe tubular member 15, and consequently in-- duces a downward flow outside of the tube. The advantages of such circulation are well understood in the art. In order to prevent this circulation stirring up the lime sediment that settles in the bottom of the water-holding vessel 14, a diaphragm or partition 48 is provided, partially separating the waterspace into two chambers and provided with an opening, preferably central, towardwhich the diaphragm or partition converges downward. The carbid residuum passes toward and through the opening in the diaphragm or partition and settles beneath it and is protected thereby from being stirred up by the circulation of the water in the upper portions of the water-space.

The flush-out device may be of ordinary molasses-cock type 50 or any desirable form; but instead of being at the extreme bottom of the water-chamber it is located somewhat above the bottom and connected by a rising pipe 51 of length sufficient to seal the fiush out and stop the discharge of the water before the bottom of the pipe is uncovered. In flushing out the apparatus the gas should be generated as the water is drawn down, so that no air will be drawn into the generator.

The water-chamber may be refilled by pouring in water in the space between the bell and the wall of the water-holding vessel 14. As a matter of convenience, however, a projecting vessel 53, secured to the wall of the water-holding vessel 14, may be provided in free communication with the water in the vessel 14, as shown. In filling up the generator with water the water may be poured in until it overflows from the overflow-passage 55. This overflow-passage 55 is preferably in the form of a deep U-tube.

In order to compensate for the decreasing weight of carbid in the hopper 10, and consequently maintain a more uniform gas-pressure under the bell 11, an air-tight compensating reservoir is supported above the lows the bubbles of air to rise in the air-pipe 63, which in turn permit a like amount of water to flow into the discharge-pipe 62 onto the top of the bell until the decreased weight of the carbid is compensated for by the water,

and the gas-pressure and water-level in the chamber 53 are restored. In order to prevent the vessel 60 emptying itself when the water is drawn down in flushing out the generator, valves 64 and 65 in the air-passage and dischargepipe, respectively, are provided. For filling the chamber a funnel 66 and valve 67 are provided. When the carbid-hopper 10 is recharged, the water in the space 61 should be removed. To facilitate this, a drain-pipe 70 is provided extending down and water-sealed within the water in the generator, anda valve 71 controls the upper end of the pipe. By opening the valve 71 the water runs off fromthe top of the bell through the drain-pipe 70 into the interior of the generator.

The annular water-space 61 on the top of the bell surrounds a neck 75, which supports the carbid-hopper 10, raising the valve considerably above the water-level and at the same time reducing the unnecessary gasspace within the generating-chamber, so as to cause the almost entire discharge of the gas when the gasbell is at its lowest position ready to be recharged. This construction reduces the danger of admitting an objectionably large amount of air to mix with the gas during the recharging process,for the amount of air that can be contained when the bell is I at its lowermost position is not sufficient to make a dangerous mixture with the amount of gas generated when the apparatus is started.

When the water is drawn down in flushing out the generator, it will be noticed that the sealing-channel 13 retains a sufficient depth of water to seal the bell, and when water is poured in to refill the generator it fills the sealing-space 13 as well.

Certain features shown but not claimed packing and provided with external and internal lever-arms extending in the same direction, the internal arm being connectedto operate the feeding valve or stop, and a stop supported in position to be engaged by and to operate the external lever, substantially as set forth.

2. In a gasgenerator, the improvement which consists in the combination of the risingandfallinggas-bell,acarbid-hoppermounted thereon, feeding mechanism therefor, in cludingarockshaft extending through packing and provided with external and internal lever'arms extending in the same direction, the internal arm being connected to operate the feeding valve or stop, and an adjustable stop adjustably supported to move into and out of the path of movement of the external lover of the said feeding mechanism for actuating it, substantially as set forth.

3. In a gas-generator, the improvement which consists in the combination of the carbid-hopper and feeding mechanism, a generating-chamber for holding water beneath the said feeding mechanism and a circulating de vice within the said generating-chamberhaving a passage-way, one or more screens or grids supported in the said passage-way whereby the bubbles of gas rising from the said screens or grids shall cause a rising current of water in the said passage-way and induce adescending current outside of the said passage-way and a settling chamber or compartment protected from the said currents, substantially as set forth.

4. In a gasgenerator, the improvement which consists in the combination of the carbid-hopper and feeding mechanism, a generating-chamberfor holding water beneath the said feeding mechanism and a circulating device within the said generating-chamber having apassage-way, a plurality of superposed screens or grids supported in the said passage-way and of difierent degrees of coarseness, the coarsest being uppermost, whereby the bubbles of gas rising from the said screens or grids shall cause a rising current of water in the said passage-way and induce a descending current outside of the said passageway, substantially as set forth.

5. In a gas-generator, the improvement which consists in the combination of the'carbid -h0pper and feeding mechanism, a generating chamber for holding water heneath the said feeding mechanism and a circulating device Within the said generatingchamber having a plurality of screens or grids of different degrees of coarseness, with the coarsest uppermost, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a gas-generator, the improvement which consists in the combination of the carbid-hopper and feeding mechanism, a generating-chamber for holding water beneath the said feeding mechanism and a circulating device within the said generating-chamber, and a partition or diaphragm for partially separating the said chamber into a compartment wherein the circulation is induced and the settling-compartment protected by the said diaphragm or partition from the said circulation, substantially as set forth.

7. In a gasgenerator, the improvement which consists in the combination of the rising and falling gas-bell suitably water-sealed, and carbid-hopper and feeding mechanism carried thereby, and means for weighting the said bell with water as the weight of the carbid diminishes, said means comprising a source of water delivery and gas-controlled means for regulating the delivery, and the.

said bellhaving means for receiving and holding the water so delivered, substantially as set forth. 7

8. In a gas -generator, the improvement which consists in the combination of the rising and'fallinggas-bell suitably water-sealed and carbid-hopper and feeding mechanism carried thereby, automatic compensating means comprising an air-tight water-holding vessel having means for discharging the water therefrom by gravity onto the said gas-bell and means for controlling such discharge by the variations in the level of the water that seals the said bell, the said bell being adapted to carry the water so delivered, substantially as set forth.

9. In a gas generator, the improvemen which consists in the combination of the rising and falling gas-bell suitablysealed and havinga water-holding space 61 at its upper portion for weighting the said bell, and a downwardly-flaring tubular neck carried by the top of the said bell and a carbid-hopper and feeding mechanism carried by and above the said neck, the said water-holding space surrounding the said neck, substantially as set forth. l 10. In a gas-generator, the improvemen which consists in the combination of the rising and falling gas-bell suitably sealed and having a water-holding space 61 at its upper portion for weighting the said bell, a downwardly-flaring tubular neck and a carbidhopper and feeding mechanism carried by and above the said neck, the said water-holding space surrounding the said neck and reducing the gas-space of the said bell, and a water sealed passage-way extending'down from the said water-holding space into the said bell, and means for opening and closing the said passage-way to permit the water to flow off through it atwill, substantially as set forth. 7

Signed this 19th day of June, 1901, at New York.

NELSON GOODYEAR.

Witnesses:

E. VAN ZANDT, H. S. MonToN. 

